Been a busy week! I had a meeting at 10.00am on Wednesday with a couple of residents about a problem they are having in the ward. However, just as I was going out of the front door to walk down to meet them they rang and asked to put it back half an hour to 10.30am. No problem, in fact it gave me the opportunity to jump in the car, go along to the Police and Community Safety Forum in Miers Avenue and get my “tick” for attendance, after all, it makes me a much better Councillor if I show my face and then leave, after all its what some other councillors have been known to do. I actually had three meetings on Wednesday morning, all initially due to start at 10.00am so as the Mayor said I had to prioritise, first the residents problem and then my “tick in the register”

Was in London all day Thursday, 8.00am train from Darlington had me in my meeting (yes another meeting) just in time for lunch! Was greeted with “Hello Mr 7%” when I arrived, fame at last. An anti-ukip bloger had picked up the story about my attendance (or not) and was lambasting me about it. Nice picture of a pig with its head in a feed bucket! As Oscar Wilde once said “The only thing worse than being talked about…….is NOT being talked about”

Successful meeting in London adjourned to the pub till 9.00pm when I caught the GNER service back to Darlington.

Friday morning I received an e-mail telling me to check the HTH Website. I’d foolishly exchanged a few e-mails with one of the HTH authors and of course they appeared on the website. That’ll teach me not to do it again, but I’ve added him to my spam filter so shouldn’t be a problem. Had a huge laugh about one poster who has even dredged up an entry on the “Friends Re-united” Website as part of their conspiracy theory. I didn’t even remember having a friends re-united entry and when I checked it was dated over 5 years ago! Do these people not have a life? The UKIP Scotland Website is also being quoted “in evidence against me” UKIPScotland! I spoke to the webmaster up there and pointed out his information was not the same as the official UKIP.org site; he said he’ll change it sometime, but not to hold my breath.

I did quite enjoy the HTH write up about me though, and actually though most of it was quite fair, I did like the bit about me not being a team player, they definitely got that right, but it’s more I don’t like being told what to do. They also got the stubborn bit right…..the more I’m pushed then the more I dig my heels in!

The best bit though is that the HTH discussion boards are starting to get hits again, the subject of discussion.........ME!

Now I like Hartlepool, I was born in the Old Cameron Hartlepool, grew up and educated in Hartlepool, lived in Hartlepool for the majority of my life, I was married in a Hartlepool Church and my kids were both born in Hartlepool Hospital. However, if I was listing the problems faced by the town of Hartlepool and the residents of Hartlepool then I doubt very much if the details of my private and personal life would be very high up the page. It does amaze me that some people are trawling the internet for information about me. Maybe these are people who need psychiatric help? It amazes me that there are people out there sad enough that they appear to have nothing better to do than obsess about me. I suppose I should take it as a bit of a compliment that they think I’m that important.